docker-image-load

Load a Docker image from stdin

$ docker < [path/to/image_file.tar] [[load|image load]]

$ docker [[load|image load]] [[-i|--input]] [path/to/image_file.tar]

$ docker [[load|image load]] [[-q|--quiet]] [[-i|--input]] [path/to/image_file.tar]

docker load [-c|--compress] [-i|--input TARFILE] [-q|--quiet]

-c, --compress
    Decompress tar archive instead of reading raw from STDIN or --input

-i, --input string
    Read from specified tar archive file, not STDIN

-q, --quiet
    Suppress detailed progress output during load

docker load (or docker image load) imports a set of Docker images from a .tar archive into the local Docker image store. It is the inverse of docker save, enabling image transfer without a central registry, ideal for offline or air-gapped environments.

Images are typically exported via docker save into a compressed tarball containing image layers, manifests, and metadata. Loading reconstructs these into usable images listed by docker image ls. Multi-image archives are supported, loading all contained images atomically.

By default, it reads from STDIN, allowing piping: cat image.tar | docker load. Use --input for direct file loading. Progress shows loaded repositories and tags; suppress with --quiet. Compression is auto-detected, but --compress forces decompression.

Post-load, images support docker run, docker push, etc. Note: it preserves original tags but doesn't handle OCI format directly—use docker import for rootfs tarballs instead. Essential for DevOps workflows involving portable image bundles.

Expects tarballs from docker save; incompatible with OCI images or plain rootfs exports (use docker import). Fails if archive corrupt or lacks Docker metadata. Large files may consume significant memory/IO.

docker save -o myimage.tar myimage:tag (save first)
docker load -i myimage.tar or docker load < myimage.tar

Typical: Loaded image: myimage:tag with repo/tag details and layer counts.

Introduced in Docker 1.0 (2014) as core CLI for image portability; enhanced with compression options in later 1.x releases. Integrated into modern Docker/Moby engine.

docker save(1), docker image ls(1), docker image import(1), docker image tag(1)